“Grand Tours” of the cultural and classical sites of Europe were a requirement for the young, fashionable, and educated English elites of the 17th and 18th centuries. Dark Horse Consort whisks us away for a musical grand tour of Europe in the Christmas season. Jaunty Spanish villancicos, austere Flemish motets, and still-familiar German carol tunes are among the musical stops on our journey. Join us for late Renaissance and early Baroque music of the Christmas season, played on the instruments of their time.

Named after the bronze horses in front of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, the Dark Horse Consort aims to recreate the sound of an early 17th century brass ensemble. Cornetti, sackbuts (early trombones), and keyboard blend together to form a rich and vibrant soundscape. The Dark Horse Consort has been heard throughout the USA, from the Metropolitan Museum in New York to San Francisco’s Early Music Society. Some ensemble members will be familiar to Tucson audiences for their captivating performances in the Monteverdi Vespers last season.